The Ninth Trial

[advisories]

Who: everyone
When: Day 18, starting just after dawn
Where: The Hermit's Tent, and all around

[This morning as the sun begins to pour through the train's windows, there's the tremor that signals a Trial.]

Come hither, Heroes. Prove thy worth. Or something like that!

[It's the same older man's voice from the sixth trial, and outside is the same fortune teller's stall. Today the front flap is lifted to show a normal interior -- there's a wooden table, carved with geometric patterns and painted in bright colours, lit by teal-coloured carved candles.

At the table sits a man of indeterminate age, somewhere between 30 and 60. He's wearing what appear to be monk's robes, teal with patterned trimming. In front of him is a crystal ball and a stack of bingo cards, along with a stand-up sign bearing the rules of this Trial.

Across the top in large font, it says:

Icebreaker Bingo

Good luck and have fun!]

Comments

[desirestruth]

[Staring at her card and, very slowly turning red, she just. Punctures the large bag she's carrying with her with her fangs, right along the top, and takes a long, resigned slurp.

...let's all hope together that's a bag of wine.]

Alright, then, let's get this over with.

[bowtiedbones]

Is that blood?

[desirestruth]

[SLURRRRRRP. Pause. Sheepish cough.]

Yes?

[bowtiedbones]

It looks like a capri sun.

[desirestruth]

A what?

[bowtiedbones]

It's a brand of juice that's sold in silver pouches.

[nihilmancy]

Heh. You were all riled up for the questions.

[desirestruth]

Questions had a way to opt-out of answering.

[:T]

[nihilmancy]

It's a good thing that I'm too jaded to feel real shame anymore, right?

[desirestruth]

I'm not so sure about either of those.

[You seem to feel an acute amount of shame all the time, Hlasoh?]

[nihilmancy]

[Different kind of shame.]

You want to do this or not?

[saddleclub]

... Your enthusiasm is staggering.

[desirestruth]

So is yours.

[Sssssiiiip.]

But it's harmless, in the end, so we may as well. Would you prefer to start?

[saddleclub]

You may begin if you wish.

[desirestruth]

Tell me about the person most important to you, then.

[saddleclub]

That one necessitates a bit of favoritism does it not? I have many people important to me in my life.

There's my brother, to begin with. But I'm not sure what to say.

[grimpa]

Do you have any preferences for squares?

[desirestruth]

[Sluuuurp.]

I find it very unlikely you'll want or find it healthy to share this meal, otherwise, not particularly.

[grimpa]

[you do you, strange girl,]

Then, what's a goal of yours?

[desirestruth]

I'd like to restore the prisms so I can go home and actually go on my honeymoon?

[her life is suffering, zol.]

[grimpa]

--You're married? What awful timing. It must be terrible not to be able to be with your partner.

[malignstar]

I'm game for any—Whoa, is that blood?

[desirestruth]

[You got her mid-slurp. She just sort of pauses. Swallows.]

Yes?

[malignstar]

You're a vampire?

[ Says the dude with red eyes and fangs ]

[desirestruth]

People keep using that term as though I know what that is.

[She's basically been just smiling and nodding the whole time.]